


To Keep Safe

by aeriamamaduck



Series: Yet Shall We Live [3]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Age Difference, Blood, Death, F/M, Horror, Late in life pregnancy, Loss, Pregnancy, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:50:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7950433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeriamamaduck/pseuds/aeriamamaduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He never should have let his guard down. How could he ever believe that he would be so lucky? They would never be able to live their lives in peace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Keep Safe

**Author's Note:**

> A new covenant brought about by the Dovahkiin Aziza Septa and her newly-crowned mother results in the sudden return of Martin Septim and the Champion of Cyrodiil in 4E211, such as they were at the time of their respective deaths. Martin looks as he did when he became the Avatar of Akatosh and Minerva is in her forties. Reconciling themselves with their new reality they marry and settle in the obscurity of a life in Whiterun Hold.

She looked so beautiful standing in the light of the sun, her face enough to stop him in his tracks. How, he always wondered, how did she not have _legions_ just begging for a moment of her time?

Minerva stood in the fields near their home, wildflowers in bloom around her and moving with the soft wind. Her hair whipped gently, framing her smiling face. Her smile widened when she saw him and he walked toward her, dazed by that smile.

Her hands cradled her growing belly as she waited for him in that field. _That’s right_ , he thought, happiness spreading through his chest. _We’re having a child._ Martin imagined how lovely she must have looked carrying Gaius, wishing he’d been there even for just a moment, just to feel his son moving within.

Minerva stretched out her hand to take his as he got closer, never seeing the sky turning red.

He had nearly forgotten what that sky looked like.

The smile left his face when he saw her happiness turn to horror, her disbelieving eyes scanning the skies. Suddenly he was back in Kvatch, watching as people he cared for died in agony. _No. No, not this again. It can’t be, **we were finally safe.**_

Focused on her face he didn’t see the dark figure behind her, clad in the black armor of Oblivion, sword poised to strike.

He noticed in time to see her lurch forward, the black, blood-stained point of a sword sticking through her middle and lifting her off her feet.

Blood poured from between lips he kissed countless times, but he felt it choking him as he tried to howl a denial of what he was watching.

_NO!_

The dremora swung its sword, sending Minerva across the field. Martin ran towards her, agony in his chest as she landed in a bloody heap. He fell to his knees beside her, pulling her towards him as blood stained her clothing. _The blood. Gods, the blood!_

_The child!_

Her eyes were wide and terrified as she looked up at him, her hands clutching the bloody mess that was her belly. Screams echoed in Martin’s ears, but only ragged gasps escaped Minerva’s mouth.

“No,” he finally gasped, his hand trying to stop the thick flow from where his child rested. “No, not this, not this, _please_ not this…”

He looked down at her eyes, eyes that _begged_ him, eyes that trusted him.

She screamed as the shadow of a sword fell over them, and his flesh felt like it was in _flames_.

.

Martin was screaming as his eyes flew open. It was dark, it was so dark, and everything was _hot_.

An orb of light flooded the room, blinding Martin for a moment until he realized where he was. _I-I’m home..._ He quickly sat up, panting hard as his mind raced.

A calloused hand touched his shoulder, making him flinch, and he turned to find Minerva beside him. He let out a shaking breath, his heart racing at the sight of her, his eyes roaming her body. He reached for her, one hand finding her cheek and the other the firmness of her belly. His heart lurched at the feeling of an answering kick from the babe. “You’re safe,” he breathed, closing his eyes and burying his face in her neck. “Gods, you’re both safe…”

“You were screaming,” she said, a whimper in her voice as she embraced him.

Tears stung his eyes at the warmth of her arms, the steady rise of her chest. “So much blood,” he choked out, straining to feel every movement his child made, relief knifing through him at every nudge.

Minerva kissed the top of his hair, her hand gently stroking it. “Shh…We’re safe. I promise we’re safe. Everything’s going to be fine.”

He clung to her words and voice like a lifeline, letting them fill his mind rather than memories of the nightmare and all the others like it. Minerva dying in childbed. The child dying, Minerva blaming him. Minerva’s throat slit from ear to ear, their son, a young boy rather than a man, telling Martin it was _his_ fault.

He closed his eyes and held her as he wept silently, praying she lived, praying he could save her if anything…

He did not want to think it.

Her fingers kept stroking through his hair, the motion sending pleasant sensation from his scalp down his spine, calming him until he could breathe normally again. He felt a gentle press against his hand from Minerva’s belly and he sighed in exhausted gratitude. The babe lived, its essence touching against his like a small hand tugging at his.

She pulled him along with her as she lay back down, his head settling on her shoulder so he could watch the steady rise and fall of her chest, no hint of blood in sight. “…Do you want to tell me about it?” she asked quietly.

Martin heard the reluctance in Minerva’s voice, but he knew she would listen if he needed her to. He shook his head, not wanting to add to the hundreds of nightmares she already had. “I’ll forget it by morning…”


End file.
